Little Comfort Lake Phosphorus Reduction Implementation

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2021 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$354,600
Fund Source
Clean Water Fund
Recipient
Comfort Lake-Forest Lake WD
Recipient Type
Local/Regional Government
Status
Completed
Start Date
April 2021
End Date
February 2024
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Chisago
Chisago
Project Details

The proposed project addresses phosphorus reductions to Little Comfort Lake, a 36-acre, impaired lake that is hydrologically connected to Comfort Lake via a culvert under Highway 8. Comfort Lake ultimately drains to the St. Croix River, a wild and scenic riverway, through the Sunrise River. Comfort Lake is a public waterbody, has a public boat landing and is used recreationally for swimming, fishing, and motorized and non-motorized boating. Comfort Lake is 219 acres, the second largest lake in the District, and is highly visible from State Highway 8. While the phosphorus improvements of this project are directly for Little Comfort Lake, improved water quality in Little Comfort Lake achieves the remaining phosphorus reductions for Comfort Lake to meet its long-term District goal of 30ppb and be removed from the impaired waters list.
The proposed projects include implementation of a variable height weir to impound water in a large wetland complex that is currently ditched and discharging high phosphorus concentrations to Little Comfort Lake via the Heath Avenue outlet pipe, a series of beaver dam analogs along the School Lake outlet channel to Little Comfort Lake that is contributing sediment and phosphorus from unconsolidated stream bed materials, and an in-lake alum treatment to reduce internal sediment phosphorus loads in Little Comfort Lake.
The proposed projects are expected to remove total phosphorus loads discharging to Little Comfort Lake of 80 lb/yr from the east wetland impoundment, 60 lb/yr from the School Lake outlet channel improvements, and 56 lb/yr of internal load from the in-lake alum treatment, for a total load reduction of 206 lb/yr (or 90% of the remaining load reductions needed for Little Comfort Lake to achieve the state water quality standard of 40 ug/L. Improvements in Little Comfort Lake will achieve the remaining reductions needed for Comfort Lake to achieve its long-term District goals and be removed from the impaired waters list.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Conflict of Interest Contact

Annie Felix-Gerth

Legal Citation / Subdivision
Minnesota Session Laws - 2019, 1st Special Session, Chapter 2--S.F.No. 3, Article 2, Section 7(b)
Appropriation Language

(b) $16,000,000 the first year and $16,000,000 the second year are for grants to local government units to protect and restore surface water and drinking water; to keep water on the land; to protect, enhance, and restore water quality in lakes, rivers, and streams; and to protect groundwater and drinking water, including feedlot water quality and subsurface sewage treatment system projects and stream bank, stream channel, shoreline restoration, and ravine stabilization projects. The projects must use practices demonstrated to be effective, be of long-lasting public benefit, include a match, and be consistent with total maximum daily load (TMDL) implementation plans, watershed restoration and protection strategies (WRAPS), or local water management plans or their equivalents. A portion of this money may be used to seek administrative efficiencies through shared resources by multiple local governmental units. Up to 20 percent of this appropriation is available for land-treatment projects and practices that benefit drinking water.

2021 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$354,600
Other Funds Leveraged
$29,392
Direct expenses
$94,980
Administration costs
$2,987
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Remove total phosphorus loads to Little Comfort Lake of 206 lb/yr (or 90% of the remaining load reductions needed for Little Comfort Lake to achieve the state water quality standard of 40 ug/L predicted in the lake water quality response model).

Measurable Outcome(s)

Due to multiple challenges outside grantee's control, the proposed projects were non feasible. Replacement projects were investigated but no suitable substitutes were found, and grantee returned funds.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
Did not achieve proposed measurable outcomes
Source of Additional Funds

LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS

Recipient Board Members
Jackie Anderson, Stephen Schmaltz
Project Manager
First Name
Mike
Last Name
Kinney
Organization Name
Comfort Lake-Forest Lake WD
Street Address
44 Lake Street S Suite A Forest Lake, MN 55025
City
Forest Lake
State
MN
Zip Code
55025
Phone
651-395-5850
Email
michael.kinney@clflwd.org
Administered By
Administered by
Location

520 Lafayette Road North
St. Paul, MN 55155

Phone
651- 296-3767